Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) has pitched a two-class, high-density version of the A380-800 to Saudia (SV, Jeddah International) as the European manufacturer attempts to find a new first time-buyer for the twin-deck quadjet in three years.
Fouad Attar, Airbus' Managing Director for the Middle East, told Bloomberg news in an interview that a 615-seat, two-class version of the A380 would be ideal to the Saudis given annual surges in demand for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. A "handful" of such aircraft would help alleviate pressure on the kingdom's infrastructure, Attar said. Local authorities anticipate a ten-fold rise in year-round demand to 60 million people by 2018.
Emirates (EK, Dubai International) recently deployed its own 615-seater A380 into commercial service on flights between Dubai International and Copenhagen Kastrup. The jet features fifty-eight flat bed Business Class seats, and 557 standard Economy Class seats.
Air Austral (UU, St. Denis de la Réunion) committed to two 840-seat A380s in 2009 but has continuously deferred their deliveries, which were originally set for 2014. The Indian Ocean carrier had planned to use the all-Economy class jets on its St. Denis de la Réunion-Paris CDG flagship route but has since abandoned those plans in favour of using smaller, more flexible aircraft such as the B787-8.
